INSTRUCTIONS: Take notes with a pen and paper to help you retain information. There will be mandatory questions asked on each section. This module should take no longer than an hour. However, you are not being timed so please feel free to pause as needed to rewatch videos. If you have questions after this training, your direct supervisor will be more than happy to assist you further.

Cultural Competency:

Cultural competency in home care refers to a employee’s ability to understand, respect, and effectively respond to the cultural, linguistic, religious, and social needs of the patients and families they serve.

It means being aware of— and sensitive to—differences in beliefs, behaviors, communication styles, family dynamics, and health practices, and using that understanding to provide care that is respectful, personalized, and culturally appropriate.

In home care, cultural competency helps ensure:

• Better communication and trust between caregivers and patient
• More accurate assessment of patient needs
• Improved comfort, safety, and satisfaction for the patient
• Reduced misunderstandings or cultural conflicts
   

How does it affect what you do as an employee?

Cultural competency helps employees provide respectful, effective, and individualized care. It improves communication, strengthens patient relationships, and reduces misunderstandings. By understanding cultural beliefs, traditions, language needs, and personal preferences, employees can offer safer and more appropriate care. Cultural competency also supports better job performance, increases patient satisfaction, and helps caregivers meet agency and state care standards. Overall, it ensures care that honors each patient’s background, values, and way of life.

Scenario 1: A caregiver calls the agency asking for guidance. The patient has specific food restrictions due to her religion and the caregiver is unsure how to comply with them. 

Scenario 2: Due to the patient’s religious observance, aides are not allowed to use any type of technology in the home on Saturdays. The aide explains to the patient that EVV (Electronic Visit Verification) is required as part of her job and she must clock in and out.

Scenario 3: A patient wants to practice voodoo rituals in her home while the aide is providing services. The patient begins lighting candles near objects that could easily catch fire.

It’s important to note that there is a difference between culturally competent care and patient requests that are illegal. For example, a patient can request a caregiver who is comfortable with halal cooking restrictions and the agency can grant that request. However, if a patient requests that their caregiver be a particular religion such as Muslim, that is not a request the agency can grant, since it is not legal to choose people for a job based on a protected characteristic such as religion.

National origin is a protected characteristic, so the agency may not choose caregivers based on where they were born and/or raised. Remember, language meets a patient’s care needs, but where the caregiver hails from is irrelevant to the patient’s care.

Meeting a patient’s language needs is an example of culturally competent care.

Benefits of Diversity:

Strengthens collaboration and learning by bringing in new ideas and experiences.

A better problem-solving process is achieved by having various ideas and perspectives.

Improves creativity and encourages meaningful conversations.

Allows us to be open to others' values and beliefs.

Diversity most especially stimulates learning about different and maybe better ways of doing things.

Diversity is respecting the world around us and recognizing our teammates differences as strengths.

Experience changes our perspective. Our different experiences make us a more effective organization.

 

Let’s not forget…Inclusion goes hand-in-hand with diversity.

It is important for us that YOU know that you can be yourself, and expect acceptance and the utmost respect that you deserve from our organization.

There are four main types of Diversity:

1. Internal diversity: Characteristics that we are born with, and are impossible to change.

                                                         

2. External Diversity: Characteristics or attributes that are influenced by the external environment and can change over time.

• Personal interests
• Education
• Appearance
• Citizenship
• Religious beliefs
• Location
• Familial status
• Relationship status
• Socioeconomic status
• Life experiences

3. Organizational Diversity: Also known as functional diversity, this refers to the variety of characteristics based on what is assigned by an organization.

• Job function
• Place of work
• Management status
• Employment status
• Pay type
• Seniority
• Union affiliation

4. Worldview: Our individual worldview is formed by our internal, external, and organizational diversity characteristics. Our perception of the world is unique based on our experiences and learnings about ourselves and other people. Some examples are:

• Political beliefs
• Moral compass
• Outlook on life

Gender diversity:

Equal access to rewards, resources, and opportunities is what gender equality in the workplace means.

 

Though many countries have made tremendous strides in fighting gender discrimination, the gender gap is still prevalent. There are still places where women earn less than men for doing the same job, and are given fewer opportunities and benefits.

In one study, 64% of women reported experiencing microaggressions in the workplace. It is of the utmost importance that coworkers treat each other with respect and ensure that their words and actions are not in any way discriminatory.

 

It's also important to note that gender is not always understood the same way by all employees. Gender identity is a person’s internal sense of being male, female or something other or in-between, regardless of the sex they were assigned at birth. Because of this, when a teammate requests that we use a specific name or pronoun, we will always respect that request. 

Remember, even if you don't understand what someone else is experiencing, you can still be sensitive and respectful. There is a need for all of us to be part of an inclusive, safe, and respectful workplace.

 

People with Disabilities:

In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, as well as transportation, public accommodations, and more.

It is not uncommon for some people to limit disability as those relating to mobility. However, disability encompasses mobility, vision, thinking, and learning. If you are an employee who needs a reasonable accommodation under the ADA, you can send a request to your supervisor or the Human Resources department.

 

Racial and Ethnic Diversity:

 

It is important to be mindful of the significance of racial and ethnic diversity in the workplace, given that race and ethnicity across the world have a controversial and complicated history.

We may confuse the meanings of race and ethnicity, but they are actually different.

Race refers to physical characteristics that are tied to a person's biological heritage.

Ethnicity is defined as the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.

Racism is still prevalent across the world. It is important to promote awareness and take action. The company has a strict zero tolerance policy for any workplace behavior that could be construed as racist or discriminatory. 

Just remember, something that one person might consider funny or non-offensive may be deeply hurtful to someone else. If you are not sure how a comment or joke may be perceived, that may be an indication that it is not appropriate for the workplace. When in doubt, leave it out.

 

LGBTQIA+:

This term includes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual, Transgender, Genderqueer, Queer, Intersexed, Agender, Asexual, and Ally communities.

Respect for differences in employees' sexual orientation or gender identity is vital in any workplace.

There are various groups comprising the LGBTQIA+ community with different views, backgrounds, interests, and experiences. Members of the community must feel safe to express themselves freely without any fear of judgment or discrimination.

Providing gender-affirming care to LGBTQIA+ patients means respecting each individual's gender identity and expression at every interaction. It is essential to use the correct names and pronouns by asking patients directly, maintain their privacy by not sharing sensitive information without consent, and avoid assumptions by using inclusive language such as “partner” instead of gender-specific terms.

Showing respect and openness involves listening without judgment and gracefully apologizing if mistakes are made. By following these principles, caregivers can build trust and dignity in their relationships with patients, ensuring that every person receives care that truly honors who they are.

Intergenerational Diversity:

There are many different generations who interact in the workplace.

Baby Boomers: Refers to people born between 1946-1964. They are known for their strong work ethic and value for professional accomplishments.

Generation X: Born between 1965-1980 and known for spearheading the work-life balance concept.

Generation Y or Millenials: Born between 1981-1996 and known for their innovations and the startup mentality.

Generation Z: Born 1997-2015 and known for being the digital natives and the tech-savvy.

 

Diversity in the workplace is all about creating an inclusive environment that is accepting of every individual’s differences, thereby enabling all employees to achieve their full potential.

Scenario: A caregiver is assigned to a new LGBTQIA+ patient. During the first visit, the caregiver is unsure of the patient’s pronouns and notices that the name on the chart is different from the name the patient uses when introducing themselves. The caregiver wants to ensure they are providing respectful, gender-affirming care while maintaining the patient’s privacy and dignity.

Bias:

Bias is a prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way that’s considered to be unfair.

Biases may be held by an individual, group, or institution and can have negative or positive consequences.

 

Conscious Bias vs. Unconscious Bias:

Conscious bias occurs when a person intentionally favors one thing, person, or group compared with another.

Unconscious or implicit biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. This refers to biases people may hold in their minds without realizing.

Unconscious bias affects:

Our Perception: How we see people and perceive reality.

Our Attitude: How we react towards certain people

Our Behaviors: How receptive or friendly we are towards certain people

Our Attention: Which aspects of a person we pay most attention to.

Our Listening Skills: How much we actively listen to what certain people say.

Our Affirmations: How much or how little we comfort certain people in certain situations.

 

Common Unconscious Bias Examples:

Affinity bias - Also known as similarity bias, this refers to people's likelihood to interact with others who have similar interests, backgrounds, and experiences.

Confirmation bias - The human tendency to search for, favor, and use information that confirms one's pre-existing views on a certain topic.

Conformity bias - Refers to a person's tendency to adjust or act like the people around them even if it goes against their own beliefs or ideologies, also called peer pressure.

Beauty Bias - Preferring to interact with people based on their looks, and making assumptions that they may be more successful.

Ageism - Treating other people differently and negatively based on their age.

Gender bias – preferring one gender over another

 

How to Decrease Unconscious Bias:

F.L.E.X.  - Stands for Focus, Learn, Engage, eXpand

Focus 

Focus Within:

- Tune into your emotions

- Recognize how your experience has shaped your perspective

- Stick to facts, and don't make assumptions

- Turn frustrations into curiosity

 

Learn

Learn about others:

- Recognize that their experiences have shaped their perspective

- Consider how they might see the situation and what is important to them

- Think about how your actions may have impacted them

 

Engage

Engage in dialogue:

- Ask open-ended questions

- Listen to understand, not to debate

- Offer your views without defensiveness or combativeness

- Disentangle impact from the intent

- Avoid blame

 

Expand 

Expand the options:

- Brainstorm possible solutions

- Be flexible about different ways to reach a common goal

- Experiment and evaluate

- Seek out diverse perspectives

 

 

If you wish to learn more about unconscious bias, you can take this optional test here: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html 

Components of an Inclusive Workplace:

1. HAVING A VOICE - Your perspective and opinions are important to us.

2. BELONGING - We want you to feel that you belong in this company and that your contributions are valued.

3. SENSE OF UNIQUENESS - You can be comfortable sharing your individuality, and rest assured that your strengths and experiences are acknowledged and appreciated.

4. FEELING VALUED - We recognize and appreciate your contributions to our growth.

5. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT - Let's learn, improve, and grow together.

6. COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT - Ideas and opinions are always welcome for the improvement of our organization. Teamwork makes the dream work!

7.  ACCESS TO RESOURCES - We will provide all the necessary resources for your growth and well-being.

8.  STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT - Together we will strategize on actions we can take to maintain an inclusive workplace.

 

What can you do?

Recognize Your Unconscious Bias—and Be Humble About It

It is okay if you don't entirely understand the values, beliefs, norms, and rituals that are important to every person, but take note that trying to be better and open about it can go a long way. Work on understanding your own unconscious biases.

Ask yourself, “What's my motivation?”

When making decisions in the workplace, ask yourself if you are motivated in any way by your biases, whether conscious or unconscious. The answer should always be "no."

Don’t Overlook the “Small” Stuff

Call out someone who is being dismissive and rude, but make sure to share your suggestions for improvement or alternatives instead of emphasizing their faults.

Understand the Advantages You’re Born With

A diverse group has different levels of access to privilege. It is best to recognize each privilege you are born with and be thoughtful and understanding with those who may have been born with fewer advantages.

Believe That People Are Created Equal, But Not The Same

Acknowledge our differences and celebrate our individuality!

 

Inclusive Language:

Inclusive language is language that avoids the use of certain expressions or words that might be considered to exclude particular groups of people.

Through the use of inclusive language, we can avoid offending our coworkers.

Person-First Language (PFL) is a huge component of inclusive language for people with disabilities.

“a blind person” versus “a person who is blind or visually impaired”

The second phrasing places the emphasis on the individual and doesn’t reduce them to or view them exclusively as their disability.

Identity-First Language (IFL) is the opposite: you refer to someone as their identity first, then as a person.

“an epileptic person” rather than “a person with epilepsy”

 

 

When to use PFL vs. IFL?

Individual preferences vary. Make sure to always ask questions rather than make assumptions about what other people are comfortable with.

 

Not using common derogatory terms isn't enough. Check and ensure that your words aren't offensive, especially in the context of who you are speaking to and what the particular situation is. Make sure to use respectful alternatives when appropriate.

Language to use:

Class

• Avoid:                         
  • Hobo
  • Impoverished
  • Needy
  • Poor or poor person
  • Poverty-stricken
  • The less fortunate or the unfortunate
•  Alternatives:
  • Economically disadvantaged
  • Low income
  • A person living at or below the poverty line

Gender and Sexual Orientation

• Avoid:
  • Any sort of slur related to someone's gender or sexual orientation
  • Chairman
  • He/his as generic pronouns for all people, regardless of gender
  • Mankind
  • Manpower                  

• Alternatives:
  • Chair or chairperson
  • They/them/those when referring to people generically
  • All assembled, colleagues, everyone, or folks
  • Humanity or people
  • Workforce

Race and Ethnicity

• Avoid:
  • Any kind of racial or ethnic slur
  • Caucasian, Orientals, and other outdated terms
  • Mixed race or mulatto
  • Adopting a fake accent or mode of speech that could be construed as offensive to the people being mimicked                        

• Alternatives:
  • Bi-racial or multi-racial individuals
  • People or person of color
  • Using adjectives, not nouns, when referring to someone's race, ethnicity, or national origin, such as "Russian person" instead of "a Russian"

Religion

• Avoid:
  
  • Saying a specific religious holiday to indicate a time of the year or season
  • Using the word "church" to mean any place of worship                     

• Alternatives:
  
  • Saying the month or season to indicate a certain time of year
  • Saying "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" when you don't know someone's religious affiliation
  • Using the term "place of worship" or "house of prayer"

 

If you are experiencing any issue in the workplace, you can report in the following ways:

Call Compliance Hotline - (718)-344-9170 

Email the Chief Compliance Officer - tbernbaum@honorhealthnetwork.com 

Speak with your supervisor

Contact the Human Resources Department

Fill out a complaint form on the company website: 

https://honorhealthnetwork.com/make-a-confidential-report/

 

 

You can report this anonymously if you choose.